Headlight-blind.



C. H. ,FRYE. HEADLIGHT-B LIND. APPLICATION HLED SEPT. 28, I914.

Patented June 8, 1915.

an era.

CHARLES H. FRYE, or SALT LAKE CITY, UT-AI-I.

HEADLIGHT-BLIND.

. To (1 whom it may concern:

light-Blinds, of which the following is a,

specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. f

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in locomotive headlight blinds that are designed to be thrown over the headlight of a locomotive when the same is standing on a siding for the purpose of screening the light whereby the crew of the train approaching from the opposite directlon on the main line will see the headlight of the locomotive upon the siding, and all liability of confusion will be. thereby avofded.

As is well known, it has been customary in devices of this character, to operate the blind by hand, by the fireman, for example, walking out on the running board of the locomotive and pulling the blind down manually, and while it has been proposed to operate devices of this kind by air under the control of the engineer in the locomotive'cab and thus obviate the dangers and inconveniences of the operation iust mentioned, yet the primary object of my invention is a more simple and eflicient'arrangement and construction of the parts of an air controlled headlight blind than have heretofore been employed.

It is also well known to those familiar with the art to which this invention appertains, that these blinds ordinarily do not display the number of the locomotive to which they are attached, and it is to be understood that in the present instance, my improved blind is thus provided with the number of the engine, whereby the identity of the train passing on the main line may be at once shown to the crew on the siding so that they may know that the superior train has passed, this device being also useful in that when an inferior train on a piece of double track road is given the right over the superior train to the station at the end of the double track, and the inferior train gets there first, and the two trains pass on the double track, the engineers of both trainsv may cover their headlights while passing each other so is to allow the crew Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented June 8,1915.

Application filed September 28,1914. Serial No. 863,945.

of each train to positively read the numhere on the headlights of the other engine, thereby eliminating the stopping and checkmg of't'he register which involves a delay of from five "to eight minutes at a double track station.

The construction and arrangement of the parts whereby these advantageous results may be obtained, will be hereinafter fully described and are illustrated in the accompany ng drawing, in which,

. Figure lisa side elevation of my device,

'parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a front v iew thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged end v ew of the curtain protecting hood and the spring actuated roller mounted therein.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in, all of.;the views of the accompanying drawing. by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral ,1

designates the headlight of a locomotive,

and 2 designates preferably a metal hood of curved formation in cross sectionfsaid hood being extended laterally on and in front of the headlightand secured to the top thereof and at the front by rivets or any other suitable fastening devices The Y hood Z'is open at the bottom, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. J ournaled within the hood 2 "is a roller 3 which is held under tension bycoil springs 4; as shown, and on which is mounted the flexible shade 5 of oth or other suitable substance or material, the

shade being normally held wound upon the roller and the hood 2 protecting the parts from the elements.

Secured to the lower edge of the shade 5 is a cord or other flexible connecting member 6, the lower end of which is fastened to the forward end of a lever 7 which is PiX'Otr' ally mounted underneath the headlight support, as at 8,-and which. is connected inter-- mediate of its ends by the slot and pin 0on nection 9 withthe lower end of a verticallydisposed rod 10 which passes up-througha I stufling box 11 secured tothe lower end of a vertically disposed cylinder 12 secured to the headlight support underneath the latter..

The rod 10 is provided at its, upper end within the cylinder 12. with a pistonhead 13 and it is encircled within the cylinder with an expansionspring 14 which bears against the lower side ofthe head 13 and reacts against the stuffing box 11 so as to exert a at I too i tension on the-head and tend to move the rod 10 and lever 7 upwardlysoas to allow the springs 4 to act to turn-the roller 3 and wind up the curtain 5. The cylinder 12 is formed with a port 15 above the piston head 13 and leading to the port is a pipe 16 for air, said pipe extending rearwardly andbeing connected to some suitable source of air supply (not shown) controlled by the engineer in the locomotive cab. From the foregoing description in con nection with the accompanying drawing, the

operation of my improved, headlight will 'be.

apparent. Normally, the, blind will be wound upon the roller 3 and entirely housed and contained within the downwardly opening hood 2. hen it is desired to shield the light and show the number of the locomotive f which is displayed on the blind 5, it is only v necessary for the engineer to admit airinto the pipe 16, whence it will passto't-hetcylin der 12 and force the piston downwardly and draw the curtain or shade 5 down over the front of the headlight, thereby screening the light and at the same time displaying the number of the locomotive. Just as soon as the screening of the light is no longer desired, it is only necessary for the engineer to allow the air .to escape from i e cylinder 12 and pipe 16, whereupon the spring 14 will act to move the piston-and lever 7 upwardly and thus the-springs 4: will be permitted to exert their tension upon the roller 3 to wmd up the screen or shade.

While the accompanying drawing illustrates what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of my invention,'it' is to be understood that the invention ois not limited thereto, but that various changes may be made in the details of construction, proportions and arrangements of the parts without maaaas departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

It is to be further-noted that as engines are seldom assigned to regular-trains, the importance ofmy invention can be readily appreciated, for whatever train the engine is pulling, the number of the locomotive will shade, and fluid actuated means also mounted 'below the-headlight and directly connected .to the .lever'j'intermediate of its endstoactuate the same and-pull the shade.

- downwardly over the headlight lensg,

F 2; A headlightblindfifor locomotives in 'cludingl'afmovableshade mounted upon the headlightland vertically movable with regspec't thereto, a lever ful'crumed at its rear.

end below the headlight, a flexibleelemen-t connecting the forward end of-said'lever to the lower 'edge'of' theshade, a; cylinder .mounted beneath the headlight, I and a fluid actuated springheld piston arrangedfin said cylinderand connected to said leverinten mediate of] its ends to actuate the latter whereby the, shadeispulled downwardly over the headlight lens.

n testimony whereof I hereunto afix, my signature in the presence of two witnesses; OHARLE S- H.v FRYE.

1 Witnesses:

W. L. Goonsnml,

W. D, MATHIS.,

Games of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the G'ommtssi oner oi Patents.

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